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Mother Natures Son
03-18-2013, 20:07
I have flat feet with a high arch. I over time tried almost every quick fix out there on the market. From Dr. Scholls to the latest hiker wonder I probably tried them all but with little success. Short of getting custom orthotics (which may or may not be covered by medical insurance) is there anything I'm missing that I haven't tried yet?

MuddyWaters
03-18-2013, 20:14
How can you have flat feet and a high arch?

Lumberjack2003
03-18-2013, 20:17
I have really flat feet. I couldn't find any fix. I tried several combinations of shoes with Dr Scholls and just kept the best combination all the way through.

Wise Old Owl
03-18-2013, 20:43
OK go to the podiatrist and get back-to-us after u have been "adjusted"

Tinker
03-19-2013, 00:19
How can you have flat feet and a high arch?

+2

I have feet as flat as a pancake (I have NO arch). :)

prain4u
03-19-2013, 00:37
How can you have flat feet and a high arch?

+ 3
Unless I have been TOTALLY misinformed for many decades (and unless my brief research tonight was also in error)---high arches and flat feet are completely opposite phenomena which cannot BOTH exist on the same foot at the same time. So please educate me further--and show me how I am wrong on this.

Otherwise, based upon my information, your statement makes as much sense as: "I have never been married, but today my wife said...." or "I had extreme hypothermia back when I was running that 105 degree fever."

moldy
03-19-2013, 09:28
There seems to be some popular misconseption about flat feet and an inability to carry a pack for long distances. The WW-II draft boards would refuse Army recruits because of the condition. The reality is that there are plenty of hikers and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers out there with flat feet and yet they have no more foot pain than any other non flat footed hiker.

Seatbelt
03-19-2013, 12:33
There seems to be some popular misconseption about flat feet and an inability to carry a pack for long distances. The WW-II draft boards would refuse Army recruits because of the condition. The reality is that there are plenty of hikers and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers out there with flat feet and yet they have no more foot pain than any other non flat footed hiker.
I have flat feet (and was disqualified for military service as a result back in the day) I also suffered knee pain and foot pain while backpacking until I went to the Good Feet store and was fitted with orthotics. It took some getting used to but now I can hike 20-25 mile days with no pain in my feet or knees--yes it was expensive but I thought well worth it.

colorado_rob
03-19-2013, 13:34
More of the same: I've always had very flat feet... all was good until my late 40's, I was a runner all my life and a long distance hiker, no sweat. But then (in my late 40's) I started getting all sorts of foot ills, according to my foot doc, related to my foot structure. Custom Orthodics saved the day. I would say just bite the bullet and get them. As long as I wear them hiking/running, all is good. If I go for awhile without, my foot ills resurface (mostly metatarsalgia) and I cannot bear the foot pain. Back to orthodics, all is good again.

FarmerChef
03-19-2013, 13:45
Oh I'll probably bring out some stinging rebukes on this one...:D

So I was told for a long time that I had flat feet and picked only certain brands of shoes and got custom inserts from my podiatrist. Then I discovered natural running (minimalist/barefoot) and started to run and run and run. This was about 2 years ago. I swapped my road shoes and trail runners and inserts for plain old minimalist trail runners (flat rise, no heel lift) and quickly learned I had been wearing shoes that were too small for most of my life. Now, I may hike barefoot once the kids can start carrying more of their food and I can get my pack weight down into the teens. And I have "flat" feet.

I only say this because I believe (again, just my personal belief here; decide for yourself) that much of what we say about fallen arches, flat feet, pronation, supination, etc. is all due to the shoes we've been wearing and the habits we've developed as a result. I also believe that there is a way out of bad habits and foot structure by returning our feet to working naturally and un "aided" by the "advancements" in our sneakers. I am not a scientist or a doctor I just read their views and conclusions and adapt what works and what doesn't. Your experience may be very different from mine.

For anyone interested, I recommend reviewing www.naturalrunningcenter.com developed by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella of West Virginia University. If you don't wish to go down this route then I agree that custom orthotics and/or inserts, certain shoes can bring relief.

Tinker
03-19-2013, 15:43
I'm thinking that the OP meant "low volume feet" - most likely.

Meriadoc
03-19-2013, 16:31
Oh I'll probably bring out some stinging rebukes on this one...:D

So I was told for a long time that I had flat feet and picked only certain brands of shoes and got custom inserts from my podiatrist. Then I discovered natural running (minimalist/barefoot) and started to run and run and run. This was about 2 years ago. I swapped my road shoes and trail runners and inserts for plain old minimalist trail runners (flat rise, no heel lift) and quickly learned I had been wearing shoes that were too small for most of my life. Now, I may hike barefoot once the kids can start carrying more of their food and I can get my pack weight down into the teens. And I have "flat" feet.

I only say this because I believe (again, just my personal belief here; decide for yourself) that much of what we say about fallen arches, flat feet, pronation, supination, etc. is all due to the shoes we've been wearing and the habits we've developed as a result. I also believe that there is a way out of bad habits and foot structure by returning our feet to working naturally and un "aided" by the "advancements" in our sneakers. I am not a scientist or a doctor I just read their views and conclusions and adapt what works and what doesn't. Your experience may be very different from mine.

For anyone interested, I recommend reviewing www.naturalrunningcenter.com (http://www.naturalrunningcenter.com) developed by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella of West Virginia University. If you don't wish to go down this route then I agree that custom orthotics and/or inserts, certain shoes can bring relief.


I'll second this. But going this way one has to be VERY careful and change things VERY slowly. Caps are warranted there. It takes a lot of time to build up the tendons and muscles again after a lifetime of disuse.

I hiked most of my thru in fairly flat sandals and they were the best footwear I used.